Wednesday, December 15th, 2004: Page updated at 12:00 AM

Meet the Backyard Bloggers

Natasha Chart
Natasha has written about local and national politics at her own blog, Pacific Views, for three years and recently for the Bellevue Community College student newspaper. High points include getting credentialed to cover the 2004 Democratic National Convention for the blog and interviewing the 2004 congressional primary candidates for Washington's 8th District for the school paper. Low points include discovering that this amount of writing requires a more comfortable office chair. Having previously worked as a janitor, an office temp and an internet marketing consultant, she's now enrolled at the Evergreen State College to study environmental science.

Garrett Ferencz
Born 200 years after the birth of your nation (or close enough for government work), Sept. 12, 1976, I am a Washington native and lifelong resident. Growing up in Olympia, I attended North Thurston High School, where I realized that my lanky frame was much better suited for arguing politics and academics, rather than Olympic glory in the field of sports. After graduation, I attended the University of Washington, majoring in economics and - like Alex P. Keaton - found my way into College Republicans. After the University, I made my parents un-proud by attending Seattle University School of Law. Since graduation I have worked for a large defense firm as a criminal prosecutor, and have recently settled down as a civil-rights attorney in downtown Seattle.

Will Mari
Hello again! My name's Will Mari, and this is my second year with the Backyard Bloggers! After having a blast last fall, I worked for my school paper, The Jibsheet, at Bellevue Community College as the features editor and got a chance to intern at my awesome local paper out here in Snoqualmie, The Snoqualmie Valley Record. I'm majoring in communications with a minor in history, and hope to transfer to SPU or the UW after I finish my associate degree this next spring. I always enjoy a good debate over matters of substance, and this election cycle should offer a great opportunity for one. Thanks for joining us again and here's to some serious blogging!

Ian Stewart
I share my home in Ballard with my wife and cats. I've lived in the Puget Sound my entire life, from Kirkland, where I was born, to Mercer Island, where I spent my childhood. I graduated from Mercer Island High School in 1994, and went on to Western Washington University, where I earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science. There, I met my wonderful wife, Christina, in Econ 206 (the best thing to come out of that class, as we both say!). We moved to Ballard in 1999, and have been there ever since. I guess that qualifies me as a "new Seattleite," although most of the truly new Seattleites probably can't pronounce "Pend Oreille" or "Sequim." I feel like I live in a neighborhood - even friends within the city won't say that about their block. I work as a Public Opinion Researcher for Evans/McDonough.